Personal branding is the rage these days, but it is a tough nut to crack, even for experienced brand professionals. Recently, during a career advancement chat with a group of engaged analytics professionals, I mentioned personal branding and a chunk of the audience wanted me to share more on this topic. Despite my brand management experience, I have limited knowledge in this area. Drawing inspiration from my experiences, I am sharing some reflections and takeaways that might spark some thoughts for others thinking about personal branding.
Growing up, like many, I felt an urge to stand out. However, my efforts to do so were mostly misguided misadventures. I do remember being extremely envious of the children around me who seemingly made strong impressions with minimal effort. And they reaped benefits from those impressions too, from doting teachers to being popular among peers. I give you two exhibits from my college days:
Exhibit A: During hospitality internships in my undergrad days, I recall a student who used his spare time during the graveyard shift to review all the operating manuals and providing a report to the General Manager who was so impressed by the initiative, she met with my school’s Dean to express her appreciation for the work- this kid went places, faster than most in my graduating class.
Exhibit B: Another student had exceptional calm and presence around figures of authority, apart from being highly articulate. He was cherry picked to show dignitaries around during campus visits. He went on to shift his career track within months of graduation to work with a highly skilled team that would usually not even consider candidates with a similar academic background.
I marveled at these College-level Brand Athletes, their ability to focus on what mattered and to create value while many of us were still figuring out which end was up. In college, my academic success did shape some of my “brand”; however, my casual, off-the-cuff remarks often damaged it considerably. Looking back now, I can see that I lacked self-awareness and was quite oblivious to the choices and actions that might have driven others’ perceptions of me. In my two decades of corporate life, I never wrote a personal brand statement, or set personal brand building goals. However, I learned a lot of lessons through experience and got better at adjusting behaviors to manage perceptions. Here are seven areas that impacted me and associated takeaways:
1.First impressions matter disproportionately: While operating with sufficient cluelessness (even after my MBA), I recall being fortunate that I said some semi-intelligent things in front of senior leaders in onboarding meetings, and that helped my brand tremendously in early stages at all my employers. These first impressions are even more important for senior leaders. I recall a new Chief HR Officer, on stage in their first outing at a big company meeting, reading exclusively from notes, not looking up once. That “not personable” image stuck for the rest of their tenure.
Takeaway: When you are new in an organization, consciously manage your interactions, no matter your seniority level.
2.Communication skills make Rock Stars: Few things matter more to one’s brand; I reaped rich dividends as I invested time and effort into improving my verbal and written communications. This is not just about fluffing up your image, clear communications create real value and eliminate a stunning amount of waste. Senior leaders often set the wrong tone with poorly drafted emails and remarks…few understand the damage this does.
Takeaway: Never stop investing in yourself. Finding a good public speaking club can do wonders for your delivery. A quick refresh on basic grammar and using spelling & grammar checks available in commonly used software suites can go a long way.
3.Think BEFORE you speak: Faux pas in day-to-day interactions can sink you. I quickly learned that there was no such thing as a free pass; every word I said mattered and there were consequences for missteps. My brand of humor alienated some and those off-the-cuff comments became costlier, often requiring significant post-facto damage control. I was also naïve enough to extend trust quickly and say things in front of people that I shouldn’t have said those things to.
Takeaway: Learn to weigh your words. Learn more about those around you to uncover sensitivities and context to adjust communications.
4.Quality of work has no substitute: Ultimately, your work does speak for itself, and I realized that my brand improved as, with experience, my output quality improved. When your work consistently adds value, it forges your brand, regardless of environmental factors.
Takeaway: No matter how experienced you get, push yourself on the quality of your output.
5.Beware the clock-watchers: While often touted as a relic of the past, many senior leaders are still steeped in this mindset. I recall a CEO answering a question on career advancement, “come early, stay late”; he chuckled afterwards but we all knew he was not joking. I have also met many leaders who question a team member’s ability if that team member is consistently putting in long hours. I often put in 12+ hour days while ramping up in new positions to learn and contribute value as rapidly as possible. However, I cut back my hours once I could create value more efficiently.
Takeaway: Do what you believe is right; working long hours can help or hurt your brand. If you are a leader, consider whether you consciously or subconsciously put pressure on your team to work more hours…do you care about the hours or the value they create?
6.Embrace formal feedback: Formal evaluations and 360 feedback were fantastic opportunities, despite the hits to my ego, to become aware of my blind spots and learn how my actions might have driven my performance and perceptions.
Takeaway: Actively seek feedback through the formal channels and probe to uncover underlying perceptions and assumptions. If you are a leader, avoid becoming the emperor with no clothes.
7.Cut through cultural haze: I worked at large companies who are mortally afraid of being sued for a hostile work environment. Accordingly, I saw a mostly politically correct and relatively gentle environment with lower risk of being ridiculed or harassed. This can be good or bad for brand building. If people largely stay behind a veneer of collegiality, and don’t tell you what they think about you or the work you do, it gets harder to become aware of how our actions are shaping perceptions around us.
Takeaway: Establish a network of trust who will dish it to you straight. Seek feedback from this group regarding how you come across in meetings, general interactions and key moments. If you are a leader, push yourself to provide clear, constructive feedback even if it is difficult vs. taking the easy way out.
Personal brand building, like many professional development items, never stops. Don’t focus on others; let your own actions govern your destiny, not perceptions.
